Present commercially significant cable ties are typically comprised of a molded plastic body having a solid three-dimensional head portion defining an opening for the passage of an integral resilient tail therethrough, the head and tail having interfitting complemental teeth for retaining the tail and head in latched relation on pulling of the tail through the head about electrical cables or the like intended to be retained. Such commercial devices generally include a barb formed within the head of common plastic material therewith or comprising a metallic element joined with the head in manufacture. The tail has a plurality of longitudinally successive teeth which interfit with the barb to provide for the latching of head and tail. To the extent that the commercial devices require a solid head member, they are wasteful of material for the tensile strength obtained and costly in manufacture. Further, quite demanding tolerances apply to the head and tail and insertion force is generally undesirably high as a result of such tolerances. Also, since the head is an integrally solid member, and the barb is fixedly disposed therein, such commercial articles of manufacture do not provide for any adaptiveness in the head in relation to strain imposed thereon by the tail resulting from forces in turn imposed on the tail by retained electrical cables or the like.
While tie devices of different character and discussed in the statement filed herein pursuant to 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 may not have seen commercial implementation, such devices do depart from the customary commercial cable tie configuration in not requiring a solid three-dimensional head. Included in such devices covered in the statement are open-head structures which lend themselves toward lessening of waste material and simpler fabrication. On the other hand, such devices do not involve adaptiveness in the head, particularly in the disposition of the parts thereof, responsive to forces arising in the course of securement of the devices in retaining relation to electrical conductors or like articles to be retained.